They still landed under some trepidation, but I took each personally by the hand as they came up to my flag, and the ceremony was united in by Lieut.  Clary, and continued by them until every gentleman of my party had been taken by the hand.  The Indians understood this ceremony as a committal of friendship.  I directed tobacco to be distributed to them, and immediately gathered them in council.  They stated that the war party had encountered signs of Sioux outnumbering them on the lower part of the Chippewa River, and footsteps of strange persons coming.  This inroad of an apparently new combination against them had alarmed the moose, which had fled before them; and that six of the party had been sent in advance while the main body lay back to await the news.  From whatever cause the party had retreated, it was evidently broken up for the season; and, the object of my official visit and advice accomplished, I turned this to advantage in the interview, and left them, I trust, better prepared to understand their true duties and policy hereafter, and we crossed the lake with spirits more elevated.

RED CEDAR LAKE.—­A short outlet conducted us into Red Cedar Lake, a handsome body of water which we were an hour in passing through, say four or five miles.  The men raised their songs, which had not been heard for some time.  It presents some islands, which add to its picturesqueness.  Formerly there stood a single red cedar on one of these, which gave the name to the lake, but no other tree of this species is known in the region.  Half a mile south of its banks the Indians procure a kind of red pipe stone, similar to that brought from the Coteau des Prairies, but of a duller red color.  We met four Indians in a canoe in passing it, who saluted us.  The outlet is filled with long flowing grass and aquatic plants.  Two Indian women in a canoe who were met here guided us down its somewhat intricate channel.  We observed the spiralis or eel weed and the rattlesnake leaf (scrofula weed or goodyeara) ashore.  The tulip tree and butternut were noticed along the banks.

INDIAN MANNERS.—–­In passing down the outlet of the Red Cedar Lake we, soon after leaving our guides, met three canoes at short distances apart, two of which had a little boy in each end, and the third an old woman and child.  We next met a Chippewa with his wife and child on the banks.  They had landed from a canoe, evidently in fear, but, learning our character, embarked and followed us to Rice Lake.  The woman had her hair hanging loose about her head, and not clubbed up in the usual fashion.  I asked, and understood in reply, that this was a fashion peculiar to a band of Chippewas who live north of Rice Lake.  On coming into Rice Lake we found the whole area of it, except a channel, covered with wild rice not yet ripe.  We here met a number of boys and girls in a canoe, who, on seeing us, put ashore and fled in the utmost trepidation into the tall grasses and hid themselves.